Authorities responded to a rollover crash involving a Jeep that was traveling one of Colorado’s most notorious mountain passes last Friday, highlighting the dangerous nature of the route.

According to the San Miguel County Sheriff’s Office, the Jeep rolled into a creek near the top of the ‘Stair Steeps’ section of Telluride-area Black Bear Pass, landing upside down in the water. This route is steep and rugged, driven one-directionally due to its dangerous nature. It features many switchbacks, with it possible for vehicles to roll from one level of switchbacks to the next.

The driver of the vehicle was extricated with the assistance of other motorists in the area, sustaining non-life-threatening injuries that resulted in transport to the Telluride Medical Center via a sheriff’s office UTV.

The UTV was recently purchased by the agency to assist on calls of this nature, where standard vehicles might not be equipped to handle rugged terrain, with this rescue showing how this purchase has already paid off.

It’s also worth noting that this wreck puts the dangerous nature of the road on display. Even those operating vehicles that seem equipped for the challenge of Black Bear Pass should know that small mistakes and changing conditions can still mean a level of risk is present.

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